Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. Buddha

As I was indulging in my fifteen minutes of daily meditation this morning, I discovered that I carry my worries and angst in my chest and shoulders. As I sat, I found that my chest ached all the way through to my back, creating tenseness in my shoulders and neck. This subsequently led my mind on a tangent that exaggerated my daily anxieties. Moments later, realizing my distraction, I brought my mind back to focus on my breath. And as I focused on the air entering and leaving my chest, I felt the tightness in my upper body gradually loosen. Breathing in and out, I began to contemplate air and each breath. 

I find it comforting that air is communal. We have been sharing the same air for centuries. And yet I also find solace in the idea that each breath I take is a unique moment in time. A moment that is unique to only me. While we may breathe together and experience these moments together, the air coming into and going out of my body is evidence that I am my own moment in time and I should always have a will and an intention with each breath. I have a choice.

Too often we take something as simple as breath for granted.